As a parent and a member of the board, I’d like to welcome you to ACEing Autism.

Our first one-on-one session with founder, Richard Spurling, was pretty much a disaster. Zoe wouldn’t focus. She bolted all over the place. We couldn’t get her attention. I started thinking up the excuses I would give Richard, fully expecting that he was about to utter what had become those all-too-familiar words, “Maybe she’s just not ready.”

But he didn’t. Instead, Richard said, “I think that was a good start. Will you come back again next week?”

And so we began on this path, slowly knocking obstacles out of Zoe’s way one at a time over these past 14 years. Sure, it’s been bumpy at times, but today Zoe hits running forehands and backhands with a smile on her face and has a killer forehand volley. My husband and I can take Zoe and her brother to the local tennis courts and play tennis pretty much like any other family.

Mira Tamir Spiegel

Learn more about our program

Children between the ages of 5 and 18 years old who have Autism Spectrum Disorder or intellectual/developmental disabilities. Your child does not need to be officially diagnosed to participate in our program. Each child is supported by at least one volunteer, but some children fare better with more or different types of support. We will work with you to find the right support for your child.

Our clinics aim to develop your child’s motor skills, hand-eye coordination, language, and social skills. It is our goal to provide an environment where your child can have fun, be their authentic self, and grow and develop.

This program aims to build a community for your family, while watching your child succeed in something new and create friendships. We also hope that this provides you with an hour of respite and an opportunity to meet other parents.

Each child will be provided a t-shirt, a racquet to borrow on court, and a medal at the end of every session to celebrate their achievements.

We use visual schedules displaying our 9-step curriculum to help with structure and predictability. We also partner with local autism service organizations to provide additional support as-needed.

Our Program Directors are passionate individuals trying to bring services and support to their community. They are tennis professionals, parents, students, and people who work in the field of autism. They are all required to complete a background check (if over the age of 18) and receive our organizational training and best practices in working with autistic children.

Our volunteers are caring, supportive individuals who are excited to learn from your child and create a fun environment on court. They are high school, college, or graduate students, members of the tennis or autism community, or adults in your community. All volunteers over the age of 18 are background checked and receive our organizational training and best practices in working with autistic children.